In every occupation, we stand on the shoulders of others that went before us. Some of those individuals great ideas have become common place to those who came behind. For myself, I have benefitted from those who came before. Jerry Fisher, Duane Wiebe, Leonard Brownell, Dale Goen, Monty Kennedy, Darwin Hensley, David Travallion, Alvin Linden, G & H, Winchester. L.C. Smith, A.H. Fox......you get the picture. None of the current firearms we shoot would be possible without men and women of talent and imagination...and not any of them less important than the other. Those who have become well known are no less important than those who have not. Each gave/gives hours of hard work to accomplish a goal set before them. Whether in a factory or a single work bench.
In 1981 Kimber Industries/ Kimber of Oregon needed unskilled labor to produce gunstocks. I qualified for the unskilled part. I now am proud to associate myself with the members of the ACGG as a stockmaker. Their common goal is to encourage the production of excellence in form and function. Each member is known for their desire to encourage others to excell and make sure the eye candy doesn't become a think of the past. As in all things...people are people...you may not get along with a particular individual. That doesn't lessen the level of craftsmanship learned or displayed.
Dan Cooper went another way. He too is a Kimberite. Five former co-workers went with him to form a company that is known for excellence in their product. They too have people that are unknown working behind the scenes. They work hard just like the rest of us. Kimber of America still calls on former Kimberite people and others to improve their product and bottom line. They too have people known only to their co-workers.
If it were not for the encouragement of Darwin Hensley and others in the ACGG I would not have focused on becoming better at my craft. I could have found another occupation to feed my family. Each member of the ACGG has been helpful and giving of their time and information. (Try getting that from the Old World without blood, sweat, and tears.) David Travallion and Jack Rowe are the exceptions to that rule.
Back to the original idea...we stand on shoulders...Kimber used Leonard Brownell, Duane Wiebe, Darwin Hensley, Jack O'Conner, and many others to guide the development of Kimber quality. They learned from others and were in turn originators of ideas not seen before or improvements on other ideas. Men and women like them have raised the bar of what is considered "Custom" today. Others now have taken up the challenge of excellence. It may not be your idea of what you like. If not, find someone who will make for you what you need and support them. Without your support the industry dies!
